Tray

ABSTRACT

There is provided a drinks serving tray adapted for being carried by hand to facilitate the serving of drinks therefrom and comprising a tray with an upperside and an opposite underside, wherein the tray incorporates a plurality of differently sized receptacles that are defined in the upperside of the tray for receiving correspondingly sized beverage container, one said beverage container to each said receptacle respectively.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a deserving tray suitable for carrying drinks ordered from a hotel or restaurant bar or the like to patrons situated distant from the bar at a table or elsewhere. While the tray finds particular application in commercial settings, the tray is also useful for carrying and serving drinks in domestic applications.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The use of drinks serving trays in hotels, public houses and other licensed premises is known in the art. The trays commonly comprise a light-weight tray with a flat constant depth body on which glasses and bottles are placed for being carried in the tray and which is generally made of a metal alloy. However, the drinks tend to readily slide around the tray while the tray is being carried and great care must be taken by the carrier to avoid spillage or the glasses or bottles being knocked over. This may be alleviated somewhat by placing a doily or serviette in the tray prior to loading the tray with the drinks. However, the risk of spillage or drinks falling over remains. The risk is increased when the tray is overloaded.

[0003] It is also normal for glasses and bottles of different sizes to be carried on a serving tray and generally, it is necessary for the taller glasses and/or bottles to be served or collected from the tray before the smaller ones can be grasped and removed from the tray. It is not always possible or practical for the larger glasses or bottles to be removed from the tray first and it can be difficult to grasp smaller glasses from the tray while the larger glasses and/or bottles remain. This can also lead to spillage and accidental knocking of drinks over.

[0004] In addition, the taller the glass or bottle carried an the tray, the greater the distance the centre of gravity of the glass or bottle is from the base of the tray and hence, the taller the glass or bottle, the less stable it is on the tray when being carried and the greater the risk of it tipping over.

[0005] Another disadvantage of known such drinks serving trays is that it is necessary when the tray is fully loaded to carry the tray with both hands in order to maintain stability of the tray. When doing this it is difficult to raise the tray higher than about chest level which may not be sufficient to avoid accident disruption of the tray when negotiating passage through a crowd.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] It is an aim of the present invention to ameliorate one or more problems of the prior art or to at least provide a useful alternative to known drinks serving trays.

[0007] In one aspect of the present invention there is provided a drinks serving tray adapted for being carried by hand to facilitate the serving of drinks therefrom and comprising a tray with an upperside and an opposite underside, wherein the tray incorporates a plurality of differently sized receptacles having a different width dimension to one another that are defined in the upperside of the tray for receiving correspondingly sized beverage containers, one said beverage container to each said receptacle, respectively;

[0008] wherein each respective said receptacle is adapted for holding its corresponding said beverage container at a different depth in the tray compared to each other of the receptacles.

[0009] Preferably, the drinks serving tray will further comprise a display skirt for displaying advertising and extending around at least part way of an outer periphery of the tray. Typically, the display skirt will have an outer face for displaying the advertising. The advertising may be printed onto the outer face of the display skirt during or post manufacture of the tray. In other embodiments, the advertising may take the form of transfers, decals or stickers affixed to the outer face of the skirt. Alternatively, the display skirt may carry a holder adapted for receiving and holding the advertising.

[0010] The drinks serving tray may further comprise an upwardly projecting rim extending at least part way around the outer periphery of the tray for inhibiting spillage of spilt beverage from the tray. Preferably, the display skirt will depend from the rim.

[0011] It will be understood that drinks serving trays having more than one display skirt and/or upwardly projecting rim such as for instance located at opposite extremities of the tray and each of which extend only part way around the outer periphery of the tray are expressly included within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, reference to a display skirt or an upwardly projecting rim is to be taken in the broadest sense and more particularly, that the tray may have one or more such display skirts am/or upwardly projecting rims.

[0012] In addition, the tray may comprise one or more handles for facilitating carrying of the tray. Preferably, a pair of handles will be provided, one handle being arranged at an opposite peripheral side region of the tray to the other, respectively.

[0013] The receptacles for receiving the beverage containers may simply comprise holes defined in the tray for receiving appropriately tapered beverage containers, the width dimension of each hole determining the depth the corresponding beverage container is able to sit in the tray when received therein.

[0014] Preferably, the receptacles will comprise cups for receiving the beverage containers. Most preferably, each cup will have a tapered profile that decreases in a direction from the open end of the cup to the base region of the cup. While being profiled, both tapered and non-tapered beverage containers may be placed in the cups, the depth of the cups determining the depth in the tray in which the beverage containers sit. However, it will be appreciated that the width of different ones of the cups may differ depending on the beverage container intended to be inserted in each cup. That is, ones of the cups may be provided for particular beverage containers and other of the cups provided for different beverage containers.

[0015] The beverage containers may be for instance, glasses or bottles containing alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages.

[0016] Generally, the tray will be made of a light-weight material such as a suitable plastics material like high density polyethylene (HDPE), although trays made of glass or metals commonly used in the manufacture of such trays are also included.

[0017] The provision of the receptacles in the tray for reception of the beverage containers provides a number of advantages. In particular, by being received within the receptacles, the beverage containers are inhibited from free movement about the tray thereby reducing the possibility of spillage. In addition, the risk of a beverage container being tipped on its side with the result in spillage may be eliminated or substantially reduced by the reception of the beverage containers in the receptacles.

[0018] It is also a significant advantage that by providing receptacles for seating larger beverage containers at a greater depth in the tray compared to shorter beverage containers, greater stability is provided and moreover, the smaller beverage containers may be more easily gasped from amongst the larger ones and lifted from the tray during serving or collection from the tray.

[0019] In trays wherein the receptacles are in the form of cups, each cup may double as handle allowing the tray to be gripped from underneath while serving or to facilitate raising of the tray above the carrier's head when moving through a crowd. Typically, a cup will be located centrally in the tray to facilitate this and enhance stability of the tray when gripped in this manner.

[0020] In another aspect of tie present invention there is provided a drinks serving tray adapted for being carried by hand to facilitate service of drinks therefrom and comprising a tray with an upperside and an opposite underside, wherein the tray has a plurality of receptacles that are defined in the upperside of the tray for receiving beverage containers, one said container to each said receptacle respectively, and a display skirt adapted for displaying advertising and extending around at least part way of an outer periphery of the tray.

[0021] The features and advantages of the drinks serving tray of the present invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a drinks serving tray embodied by the present invention;

[0023]FIG. 2 is a plan view of another drinks serving tray embodied by the present invention;

[0024]FIG. 3 is a front view of the drinks serving tray of FIG. 2; and

[0025] FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) illustrate profiles of the outer peripheral region of two further drinks serving trays embodied by the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0026] The drinks serving tray 2 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a base 4 with a generally planar upper face 6 in which is defined a number of openings 8 comprising the open ends of receptacles in the form of depending cups 10 for receiving beverage containers such as glasses and bottles. The lower ends 12 of the cups are closed.

[0027] If desired, a drain may be defined in the floor of the lower end of each cup for allowing any spilt beverage to drain from the tray and to assist drying following washing of the trays. The drain may consist of an aperture defined in the floor of the cup.

[0028] As can be seen, the tray incorporates two different sizes of cups which differ in diameter and depth, the larger sized cups having a greater diameter and depth than the smaller ones. Accordingly, the larger sized cups are able to receive large beer glasses, bottles and the stems of wine glasses. In contrast, the smaller cups are suitable for receiving “shot” glasses of the type typically used to serve nips of spirits and liqueurs. In either case, the depth of the cups is such that the beverage containers for which they are provided extend from the cups when received therein to enable them to be grasped and removed from the tray upon being served or collected therefrom.

[0029] The diameters of the respective cups are dimensioned to allow ready placement and lifting of the glasses and the like from the cups but to restrict any significant transverse movement across the tray and thereby minimise the potential for spillage or for the glasses or bottles to be tilted relative to the upper face 6 of the base 4 to any significant degree. Generally, the diameters of the cups will be dimensioned to allow a few millitmetres space between the relevant beverage container for which they are provided and the side wall 14 of the corresponding cup.

[0030] Since the glasses and bottles sit in the cups 10 while the tray is being carried, sliding across the tray is inhibited and the risk of spillage due to the tray being knocked is reduced. Moreover, as the cups depend from the tray, they are able to be gripped and used as handles for carrying the tray 2. Specifically, the centrally located cup 10(a) is suitable for being gripped single-handedly allowing the tray to be raised above the carrier's head when negotiating passage through a crowd.

[0031] Advantageously, the central cup 10(a) may also be used for holding coins and bank notes received as tips for service or alternatively, for providing change to customers.

[0032] Dedicated handles 16 are also provided, one handle being arranged at opposite ends of the tray respectively. The handles extend laterally from skirt 18 which extends around the outer periphery 20 of the tray and depends from the apex 22 of upstanding rim 24. The rim 24 acts to retain any spilt beverage on the tray.

[0033] The skirt 18 is flared outwardly and is provided with an out face 26 suitable for displaying advertising. The advertising may be printed directly onto the outer face during or after manufacture of the tray. Alternatively, transfers, decals and stickers may be affixed to the outer face 26 of the skirt 18. In yet another embodiment, the skirt may carry a holder in the form of a transparent sleeve in which cards or other inserts displaying advertising are able to be inserted and retained on the skirt.

[0034] The sleeve may be glued around its peripheral edges onto the outer face 26 of the skirt 18, or be slipped under a bracket provided on the skin. The bracket will generally be of the type that borders three sides of the sleeve when received therein such that the sleeve is retained against the outer face of the skirt. This also allows the sleeve to be withdrawn from the open side of the bracket and the advertising insert to be replaced with another as required prior to relocating a sleeve under the bracket. If desired, the insert can he located under the bracket without being inserted into a sleeve. In this instance, the bracket will preferably incorporate a transparent window formed from a suitable transparent plastics material that cover the insert when received in the bracket thereby avoiding the need for the use of a transparent sleeve to protect the insert.

[0035] By being flared outwardly such that the outer face 26 lies at an angle with respect to the upper face 6 of the base 4 of the tray, viewing of the advertising is enhanced when the tray is placed on a table or other support surface.

[0036] In the embodiment shown, the skirt is provided with an extended region 28 located substantially equidistant between handles 16 for displaying enlarged trademarks and logos. In practice, the tray 2 will be carried with the extended region 28 of the skirt 18 facing forward. While this region of the skirt is particularly suitable for displaying advertising, such advertising may also be displayed on the remainder of the skirt.

[0037] As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cups 10 have a tapered profile. The taper substantially corresponds to the taper of the glasses for which they are provided. This also allows a number of the trays to be stacked together such that the cups of adjacent trays are nested one in the other.

[0038] It is not necessary that upstanding rim 24 be provided and indeed, embodiments of the tray of the present invention are encompassed wherein the skirt depends directly from the base 6 of the tray as shown in the partial cross-section in FIG. 4(a). In other embodiments, the tray 2 may be provided with a trough 30 defined around the outer periphery 20 of the tray for collecting spilled beverage.

[0039] Although the present invention has been described herein before with reference to a number of embodiments, the skilled addressee will understand that numerous variations and modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. 

1. A drinks serving tray adapted for being carried by hand to facilitate the serving of drinks therefrom and comprising a tray with an upperside and an opposite underside, wherein the tray incorporates a plurality of differently sized receptacles having a different width dimension to one another that are defined in the upperside of the tray for receiving correspondingly sized beverage containers, one said beverage container to each said receptacle, respectively; where each respective said receptacle is adapted for holding its corresponding said beverage container at a different depth in the tray compared to each other of the receptacles.
 2. A drinks serving tray according to claim 1 further comprising a display skirt adapted for displaying advertising and extending at least part way around an outer periphery of the tray.
 3. A drinks serving tray according to claim 1 further comprising an upstanding rim extending at least part way around an outer periphery of the tray.
 4. A drinks serving tray according to claim 2 further comprising an upstanding rim extending at least part way around the outer periphery of the tray and wherein the display skirt depends from the rim.
 5. A drinks serving tray according to claim 4 wherein the display skin is flared outwardly from an upper end region of the rim.
 6. A drinks serving tray according to claim 2 or 4 wherein the skirt incorporates an extended region providing an enlarged display area and which extends downwardly to a greater extent than the remainder of the skirt.
 7. A drinks serving tray according to claim 2 wherein the skirt extends part way around the outer periphery of the tray and the tray is provided with at least one further display skirt, wherein the or each further display skirt extends around a different region of the outer periphery of the tray, respectively.
 8. A drinks serving tray according to claim 1 further comprising a trough for collecting spilled beverage and being defined in the upperside of the tray, and wherein the trough extends at least part way around an outer peripheral region of the tray.
 9. A drinks serving tray according to claim 1 or 2 wherein at least some of the receptacles consist of cups defined in the upperside of the tray and which protrude downwardly from the underside of the tray.
 10. A drinks serving tray according to claim 1 or 2 wherein at least one of the receptacles is a cup, wherein the cup is defined in a central region of an upperside of the tray and which protrudes downwardly from the underside of the tray for being gripped to facilitate carrying of the tray.
 11. A drinks serving tray according to claim 9 or 10 wherein each of the cups have a tapered profile.
 12. A drinks serving tray adapted for being carried by hand to facilitate service of drinks therefrom and comprising a tray with an upperside and an opposite underside, wherein the tray has a plurality of receptacles that are defined in an upperside of the tray for receiving beverage containers, one said container to each said receptacle respectively, and a display skirt adapted for displaying advertising and extending around at least part way of an outer periphery of the tray.
 13. A drinks serving tray according to claim 12 further comprising an upstanding rim extending at least part way around an outer periphery of the tray.
 14. A drinks serving tray according to claim 12 further comprising an upstanding rim extending at least part way around the outer periphery of the tray and wherein the display skirt depends from the rim.
 15. A drinks serving tray according to claim 14 wherein the display skirt is flared outwardly from an upper end region of the rim.
 16. A drinks serving tray according to claim 12 wherein the skirt incorporates an extended region providing an enlarged display area and which extends downwardly to a greater extent than the remainder of the skirt.
 17. A drinks serving tray according to claim 12 wherein the skirt extends part way around the outer periphery of the tray and the tray is provided with at least one further display skirt, wherein the or each further display skirt extends around a different region of the outer periphery of the tray, respectively.
 18. A drinks serving tray according to claim 12 or 13 further comprising a trough for collecting spilled beverage and being defined in the upperside of the tray, and wherein the trough extends at least part way around an outer peripheral region of the tray.
 19. A drinks serving tray according to claim 12 or 13 wherein at least some of the receptacles consist of cups defined in the upperside of the tray and which protrude downwardly from the underside of the tray.
 20. A drink serving tray according to claim 19 wherein each of the cups have a tapered profile. 